Zhaitan's Gate
by Felix3D
Summary: A fusion of the Guild Wars and Zero No Tsukaima setting. Based off the fact that Zhaitan and Shaitan are similar (With Anet basing the former off of the latter), and that the lore fits.
1. Prologue 1 The Searing

The Searing

* * *

A short snip based on the phrase "Demons to the east" when the humans described the map. This plays with the "600 years" mis-translation of how long it has been since Brimir's time.

Basically - Humans - ["Demons", reaching over to the north]-[Scattered elven outposts/"patrols"]  
[Main elven cities in the sahara, to the south, With small communities on the other islands of archipelago]

* * *

When Brimir and his band of humans eliminated the Valriag, they used the shock to push deep into the heart of Halkegina, driving the original residents back and absorbing the human slave population into their own. Uncontested, for 600 years they built their empire, spanning the continent, and making the great countries of Halkegina.

Germania, Militant and splintered into factions, this nation of "warring states" all unified under the emperor, a dissonant to Brimir, and the last Bastion of non-Birimic peoples and disgraced nobles. From the constant internal struggles (yet undying loyalty to the emperor), an interesting culture has developed. As long as you have gold, and even if you do not, the people of Germania will welcome you with open arms. This mighty country is kept in check by being the shield of Halkegina, it's more militant forces on watch and protecting the other nations from the horrors outside of Halkegina's borders. For this reason, the Birimic Nations leave them be.

Southwest of Germania, another "border state" is Romalia, the holy country, seat of the Founder and the Church. The closest to the holylands, currently held by the Elves and other Firstborn races. Here the memory of the founder is preserved, kept, and furthered.

North and to the west of Romalia, lies Gallia, of two staves and one crown. Another country with constant struggles, the people of Gallia believe that these struggles forge a stronger nation, and it is customary for the heirs of the crown to fight til there is only one standing to claim the throne. Large, powerful, and safe from attacks, they are one of the largest threats in the land, powerful, with no one but "allies" to test their mettle on.

Off in the ocean stands Albion, the white, of the wind, the skyclad island, insulated and safe from all conflict adrift in the sea of air. A seemingly Utopian kingdom, staunch Isolationist rulers find themselves at odds with younger warhawk interventionalists.

And in the middle of all of this, is Tristania, a country shrinking through the years, by conflict, by treaty, by peace. Betwixt the Militant Germania and conniving Gallia, Tristania is the single most magically concentrated and beautiful land in all of Halkegina. It's economy and culture the only thing standing in the way of utter defeat, they mastered the art of the Alliance to preserve what little they had left.

Then... the Charr struck.

Before Brimir, before even the Valryag, these lands were home to the Charr. But disunity and too many theaters of war caused their great war machine to collapse, and were pushed northeast. Then the Valryag came for the "holy land", and Brimir found his God.

In one fell swoop, the Valryag were defeated, but the humans expelled by the elves from their ancestral lands. Still disoriented, weakened, and now afraid, the Charr watched helplessly as the humans flooded the rich land that was once theirs.

But now, 600 years later, the Charr were ready. For 600 years they had reclaimed lands to the east and north from the Elves and Germania to stand as a staging ground, a new front of war.

The Holy Void had been lost, and humanity, grown insular and arrogant, had begun to war upon themselves.

The time was ripe.

The Charr found new resolve.

And so they called upon the spirits and the power of firestones as they began their newest assault, an assault to reclaim their homelands.

It was the Searing, and the Military Giants, weakened by internal struggles, found much of their lands turned from usable pastures to blackened soot and cracked earth.

The assault had begun.

With each day, the charr moved forward and their bombardment encroached deeper upon the lands.

Overcharged firestones superheated in cauldrons dropped from Steel-wrought ships in the sky changed the landscape of Halkegina forever.

At the same time, The elves capitalized upon this move to attack Romalia from the south, further weakening their hated enemy.

Rich nobles began flocking to Trstain, then Albion, using whatever means necessary to escape from this ever-growing hell, leaving the commoners to fend for themselves.

So they too left, and what were once great empires crumbled as Tristain struggled to keep order.

Now is the time, humanity's last stand.

The legendary warriors and rulers of each country now united, under the name of Brimir, of Tristainia, to make their last stand.

This is the story of the daughter of two of these warriors, one that had power, yet puzzelingly was unable to use it.

This is the story of Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, the Zero, who would become Tristania's hope against the Charr, and their warmachines of fire and steel.

Or is it?

* * *

I am a Charr.

In this world of constant battle, I am the deadliest weapon.

I respect no authority except the clenched fist of my legion.

With Engines of Destruction, we can kill Gods. We will plant our victory banners on the graves of our enemies.

I am a Charr.


	2. Prologue 2 March on Germania

March on Germania

* * *

Each synchronized hammerstrike reverberated in the chest of every Charr as the building of their warmachines synchronized with the building of their spirit. Like rolling thunder, the sound of hammer-on-steel shook the very air. The power behind each resonating blow caused chest and ground alike to shake and rumble. No enemy could hold out for long, not against the tempered souls of the united legions.

The Spies and Soldiers of Germania could feel the hope drain away. Each stroke carried across the land between the lines and what ever progress they made, no matter on what front, could not match the rate the Charr improved themselves and their warmachines.

Even after making Guns widespread, arming as many commoners as they could, and having all available mages aid in the production of the firearms, the armies of the Empire of Germania, the greatest human military power, were no match for Charr brutality and steel. Forays into forbidden magic failed to make a mark... Chimeric abominations were hunted and killed for sport. Even an army of undead, created by an unholy alliance of heretical priests sentenced to death could barely slow, let alone stop. the Charr advance.

The empire crumbled, nobles taking their own armies back to there lands or even just fleeing. The remnants of the proud Germanians struggled against each other and devolved into competing factions, all vying for the resources untouched by the Charr, becoming an even softer target for the ravenous beasts.

Here, one faction was led by a proud military family that understood this, and their allies who decided to do the nigh unthinkable...

Ask for help.

They went to their mortal enemy, their Tristanian counterparts the Valliere to seek aid and alliance with the assault. After all, once they fell, Tristania would be next.

It was the first time in history did the Zerbst kneel before their archenemies. They always stood defiant, even in death, but here they knelt before the duke and his wife...

And the deal was struck.

The Zerbst Alliance would act like Tristania's shield, allowing to draw from the resources of the Nation of Magic, while those that could not fight found asylum in Tristanian homes. The only ones left in Germania were those that would fight the Charr or die defiantly trying.

To his rivals the Valliere did Lord Zerbst entrust the most precious thing he had at all, his only surviving daughter, Kirche.

Charr spies, eager to take out one of the heads of the Germanian Resistance launched an attack on the Zerbst estate.

The armies were on the battlefield, leaving only civilians, family and a handful of guards to protect the manor.

The servants fought valiantly, all the respect and love of their masters tempered with the drive to live surprised the Charr... but in the end the squads still broke through and into the Master's Chambers, where the children were hidden. Though they fought valiantly, the gaurds fell to Charr Magic and Steel and soon they turned to the children.

The elder ones held the charr off with their lives managing to kill all but a few before they fell. But fall they did, and the remaining beasts turned to the cowering five year old girl.

It is said that in times of duress a mage is able to awaken their inner power and increase their ranking. Kirche at that time knew she was about to die, and her fear, anger, and panic reached its boiling point...

Like the fires of her family, Kirche's magic erupted.

Unprepared for the human "cub" to be such a powerful mageling, the Charr were caught unawares as the flames and superheated air blinded them, burned their flesh, and eventually immolated their lungs.

It was over.

All that was left were the Charred corpses of those that fell.

And a traumatized young fire mage that soon would find solace away from her home, in the embrace of gentle "sisters".


End file.
